The 55-acre annexation of Andalusia Nuts into the city limits was approved by the Plainview City Council Tuesday on the first reading.
The business, based out of Houston, requested to be annexed into the city and will be operating in the former U.S. Fiberglass plant at 5205 North I-27, at the intersection of I-27 and Business I-27. The city held the two required public hearings on Nov. 27 and Dec. 11.
When U.S. Fiberglass was in business, the company was considered in rural Hale County, but Andalusia Nuts thought it best to use city water rather than well water.
A handful of workers have been at the plant since early summer, preparing the facility for its new occupant.
“They are moving along with their business and getting it ready,” City Manager Greg Ingham said.
The council also approved taking necessary action regarding a professional services agreement between the city and Parkhill, Smith and Cooper, Inc. for engineering services.
According to Ingham, the company will help the city in construction of a 10-acre waste cell at the city’s solid waste landfill, which is a mile west of the Marshal Formby Wheeler Unit.
The 10-acre cell cost estimation is $1.1 million, but Ingham said, the cost was budgeted in this year’s budget and they expect to get 10 years minimum out of this cell.
Ingham said the current landfill is five acres and opened in 2007, and while city leaders previously thought they would get seven years out of the current landfull, usage has increased, causing the city to move a year or two ahead of schedule.
“We are running out of space,” Ingham said.
Ingham said Parkhill, Smith and Cooper will help with the engineering design and ensuring EPA standards are met, working with the city through the bid process and managing the construction.
“We feel like this a good project,” Ingham said.
The city manager noted the construction process would take 18 months, but there was still work to be done before reaching that point, so now is a better time to start on this process.
The council also had a closed session and approved reappointment’s and appointments to several boards
•Airport Board:
John Tye, January 2017
•Board of Health:
Shane Martinez and
Don Williams, January 2015
•Main Street Program/Tourism Coordinating Board:
Kay Harris, Tyke Dipprey, Sammy J. VanHoose, Hari Krishna — reappointment’s, January 2015
Gary Cross, Chris LeFevre, Matt Kelley, January 2015
•Running Water Draw Retired and Senior Volunteer Program Community Advisory Group:
Carol Shulz, Norvene Owen, Emma Herring and Joe Provence, December 2015